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Keeping work areas clear of clutter is one tip that works for some — but not all —people struggling with chemo brain.

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My mind is racing. “Where did I put that to-do list?” My brain begins to admonish me. “Not that one, the one you just wrote less than five minutes ago. It’s attached to the paperwork you need for your meeting.” The interior mocking continues. “It’s attached to the directions you need to get to that meeting.”

Welcome to the world of chemo brain. Those who understand know exactly what I’m talking about. Some people like to say, “Oh, I do that all the time and I've never had chemo, or cancer, for that matter, so what’s my excuse?” Please, just don’t. It’s different for those of us living post-cancer-diagnosis.

From Über-Organized to Running in Circles

There was a time in my life, and I do remember it clearly, when I was, some might say, a bit too organized. I was running two midsize commercial construction companies, each one doing work in New York City. In addition to keeping the books and records, I handled in-house payroll for both, which not only involved tracking the hours of dozens of employees, but also making sure union contributions were made, payroll tax deposits to the IRS and New York State were sent on time, and all sorts of associated paperwork for any number of different agencies was submitted accurately and on time.

I juggled it all. I handled my household bills. I made sure dinner was on the table every night and the laundry was done as part of my regularly scheduled program. And then, with my diagnosis and subsequent treatment, everything crumbled around me.

I was more than two years post-chemotherapy when I began to notice that things were piling up to unacceptable levels. Initially, I thought it was that my workload was increasing. Months passed before I realized that not a single thing had changed in my responsibilities. It wasn’t the work, it was me. I was distracted by everything. My ability to focus was gone.

If I was in the midst of, say, trying to determine the profitability of a particular project, and I was interrupted by a three-minute phone call from an employee with a problem that needed solving, I would return to my project, only to have “lost” everything I’d already completed. Instead of picking up where I’d left off, I wouldn’t remember anything. The papers in front of me would be completely foreign thanks to the interruption; I’d have to start from scratch. Talk about a loss — and waste of time! My frustration was immense.

I can’t tell you what triggered me to begin to think that something might be going on. Could the chemo be affecting me? I mentioned it to someone on my treatment team and it was dismissed. “It’s too long after your chemotherapy. You’re just stressed out,” they said. You bet I was stressed out. I knew what I was doing before my diagnosis, my surgeries, my chemotherapy, and I knew what I was not doing now. Not one to be dismissed too easily, I began to do my own investigating. I knew exactly where to begin my search. I ran straight to Dr. Google and began reading everything I could find about post-cancer cognitive issues.

Work-Around Solutions That Only Semi-work

I found research papers that seemed to indicate there was a small subset of patients whose cognitive issues had not resolved when chemo was over. And they were talking in terms of decades not months. I sprang into action. I figured if they’d identified a problem, someone must have a solution.

Instead, what I found are what I refer to as “unsolutions.” They were all “work-around solutions,” some of which may work fairly well, others not so much. An unsolution, simply put, is a way of figuring out how to live with this mess until a real solution can be identified, validated in some sort of clinical trial, and used for the masses.

And let’s be clear here, “masses” is most likely an understatement. Just using my own experience in speaking with others in the breast cancer community (and with those who’ve been treated for other cancer types) on every continent (with the exception of Antarctica), I’ll go out on a limb and say we are talking hundreds of thousands of people afflicted with chemo brain.

A better term may be cancer brain, since I know plenty of people who’ve been treated for cancer but never had chemotherapy and still experience similar cognitive issues. Whether this is associated with the cancer itself, surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy with drugs like tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors or only chemotherapy is still not fully understood by the research community. Suffice it to say, for those who’ve never had chemotherapy, I’m not leaving you out.

What — Sort of — Works for Me

Basic self-care is essential in regaining some sense of normalcy. By basic self-care I mean making sure you are getting enough sleep, eating properly, limiting alcohol intake, maintaining a proper body weight, and exercising. Post-cancer or no cancer, these are things from which everyone benefits.

Beyond self-care, what helps? I’ll give you a list of just a few things the “experts” recommend — as well as a review of how helpful I’ve found them.

Expert tip: Keep your work area clear of clutter.

My review: I’ve tried this method. It seems I’m clearing clutter on a daily basis, sometimes twice a day, so this method hasn’t worked well for me. Papers pile on top of other papers, and that aforementioned to-do list and the address of my meeting almost always get buried.

Expert tip: Practice some form of mindfulness training.

My review: I began practicing yoga, and while I don’t think it has helped with my chemo brain, it has helped me assess where I am in any given moment by checking in with myself. Before I say yes to yet another project, I double-check my current workload and other responsibilities. If I’m already approaching overwhelm mode, I’ve learned to say no.

Expert tip: Use a smartphone.

My review: This one is helpful. I use my smartphone for … EVERYTHING. My phone calendar includes everything I must do in the course of a day, including phone calls, appointments, project deadlines, and even things that shouldn’t require a reminder.

Expert tip: ALWAYS put your keys in the same place.

My review: Yes, this one. This one’s pretty helpful — though not foolproof! On that note, I have to go. You see, I have an appointment, and yes, I’m already late. I lost track of time and I simply must locate the last place I chose to keep my keys.

Important: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not Everyday Health. See More

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